Just one night
by Becs
Summary: The Brotherhood take Cookie to the vet's to get her spayed. A very traumatic experience you must understand. A whole night without her!


Disclaimer: Own Cookie, but nothing else.

A/N - sorry this took so long. It's kinda a sequel to 'A day in the life....' well only in the sense that Cookie's appointment was mentioned in that one.

"Lance, where's Cookie?"

"I don't know, why?"

"Cause we gotta take her to the vet's today! It's Friday remember?"

"Uh."

"You are impossible!" Pietro threw his hands up into the air, "it's a wonder she isn't pregnant already!"

"Hey Pietro! I found her!"

"Yay!" Pietro zipped downstairs. "Good work Todd. Come on Cookie. Time to go to the nice vet's."

Pietro scooped Cookie up and carried her into the lounge where Freddy was finishing off the cat cage.

"Lance, you coming?" Todd called.

"Yep," Lance said, grabbing his keys as he passed the hall table, "let's rock."

"Good afternoon!" the receptionist smiled as the four boys walked into the vet's.

"Uh, hi," Lance said, "we've bought our kitten Cookie in, my friend here booked the appointment."

"It's under Maximoff," Pietro said, leaning on the desk.

"Oh, here it is," the receptionist smiled, "just take a seat, it shouldn't take a minute." 

Lance sat, picking up one of the magazines and settling down to read. Todd perched in another chair, and Freddy sat on the floor. Pietro tried to sit but ended up pacing.

"Mew!" Cookie meowed pitifully from inside her cage.

"Oh baby!" Pietro zipped to her side, "what's the matter?"

"It's okay Cookie," Lance smiled, petting the ginger tabby through the bars, "you're fine see? Lance is here."

"Maybe she's hungry," Freddy suggested.

"Mew!" Cookie meowed again.

"Hush," Lance shushed her, "it's all right."

"Do you think she'll miss us?" Todd asked, looking worried, "I mean, she's never been away from us before."

"She'll be fine," Lance smiled. Cookie was settling now, pushing herself against Lance's fingers.

"This is Cookie then?" The Brotherhood looked up to see a young man, probably early 30's, holding a small clip board. The vet smiled, "she certainly looks well loved."

"She definitely is," Lance smiled, extending a hand, "I'm Lance."

"Andrew."

"Pleased to meet you. This is Todd, Freddy and Pietro."

"Hello," Andrew acknowledged each boy, "so Cookie's here to get spayed."

"Yep," Lance nodded, "Pietro's idea. I kinda forgot about it."

"Well it's a good thing Pietro did remember. There are too may homeless cats around as it is." Pietro flashed a weak smile. "Well, if you just leave her with me, you can pick her up tomorrow morning."

"All alone!" Pietro squeaked.

"Well you're not getting spayed," the vet smiled briefly.

"I don't want to do this anymore!" Pietro cried, "we can't leave Cookie alone for a whole night!"

"She'll be fine Pietro," Lance sighed, passing the cage to Andrew.

"But she's only a baby!" Pietro wailed.

"And we'll take good care of her Pietro," Andrew smiled, "don't worry."

"It's okay Pietro," Freddy said, putting an arm around the speedsters shoulders.

Pietro took a deep breath, "okay. I'm okay. Bye Cookie." He reached his slender fingers between the bars and stroked Cookie's head.

"Have you all said your good-byes?" Andrew asked.

"Yep," Lance smiled.

"Bye Cookie," Freddy waved to the kitten, "I'll have a nice dinner for you when you get back."

"See ya Cookie!" Todd patted Cookie, "have fun. If you can have fun getting yourself chopped open."

"Todd!" Pietro wailed, "I did _not_ need that visual!" 

"Okay, we're going now," Lance said, pushing the other members of the Brotherhood towards the door, "before Pietro steals Cookie back and decides he'd rather pay for a litter than have her out of his sight for one night." The four teens left.

"They certainly love you a lot," Andrew smiled, petting Cookie through the bars of her cage. Cookie meowed and pawed at the cage bars staring in the direction her family had left in. "And it looks like you love them back."

Lance was woken up by Pietro bouncing up and down on his bed.

"Rise and shine Lance!" Pietro grinned, "it's morning! Time to get Cookie!"

"What time is it?" Lance moaned, "6:00! Get out of my room you moron! It's not even light out yet!"

"It's semi-light," Pietro exclaimed.

"GET OUT!"

"Good morning!" Pietro beamed at the receptionist.

"Morning," the receptionist smiled.

"Tell me again why we're going this early?" Todd moaned.

"Pietro's an idiot that's why," Lance muttered.

"DoYouThinkShe'llBeAllRightLance!?! DoYaHuhHuhHuh?" 

"Pietro, I'm half asleep, if you're gonna talk at that speed you might as well talk to the wall. It's exactly how receptive I'll be."

"My, you're here early," Andrew said, stepping out of the consultation room and gesturing to the owner of the snapping Chihuahua were to pay.

"Is she all right?" Pietro asked, "maybe I should have given her some of my clothes, you know for scent."

"Well, she was a little homesick but nothing the sight of you four won't fix."

"She was homesick?" Lance asked, "my poor Cookie!"

Andrew smiled, "I'll just go and get her." Pietro paced back and forth, Lance tapping one foot impatiently. Todd stood waiting beside Freddy, the two of them extremely more calm than their team mates.

"Cookie!" Pietro grinned.

"Hello Cookie," Todd smiled, patting the kitten, who was purring so hard she was vibrating.

"Are you feeling better?" Lance cooed, tickling her under the chin.

"When can she eat?" Freddy asked.

"Don't feed her breakfast," Andrew advised, "then a small dinner."

"Thank you Doc," Todd smiled.

"No problem."

"Come on Cookie," Lance said, heading for the door, "we'll go to the car and get you home."

"Laaaaaance!" Pietro objected, "wait! I gotta pay! I want to pat Cookie too!"

Back at the Brotherhood home that evening the four mutants were curled up in front of the tv, Cookie on Todd's lap, purring whilst she slept. Every now and then Pietro would glance down to see if she was all right.

"It's good to have her back," Lance smiled, stroking Cookie's fur, "even if she was only gone one night."

"Shhh," Freddy whispered, "you'll wake her up."

- - - - - - - - - - - - 

Awwww! Don't those guys just make you wanna hug them? 


End file.
